CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004 Ford Explorer one of our worst vehicles on record. "Avoid like the plague" is putting it lightly.
The 2002-2005 Explorer has a very well-established record of expensive transmission failure at under 100k miles. The Explorer has an enclosed transmission which is typically replaced with a rebuilt transmission at a cost of almost $3,000.
Another common problem for the 2002-2005 Explorer is wheel bearing failure at around 90k miles, with a typical repair bill of $500 to $1000 depending on how many wheel bearings failed.
Adding insult to injury, the 2002-2005 Explorer also has a massive problem with the rear panel cracking. While it's a minor annoyance compared to transmission failure, ironically the crack usually goes right through the Ford logo.
6.4
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$460
Average Mileage:
75,350 miles
Total Complaints:
769 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
waiting for Ford to recall (296 reports)
not sure (205 reports)
replace panel (117 reports)
possible class action lawsuit (63 reports)
call Ford motor company 1-800-241-3673 (27 reports)
2004 Ford Explorer Lift Gate Applique - You can purchase the rear panel applique to fix this problem from fordpartswebsite.com, although it will still need to be painted and installed.
Cracked Ford Explores - Visit and join this Facebook group for an additional site where you can tell Ford about this annoying problem.
Ford Explorer Lift Gate Cracks - Become a part of this active Facebook page of Ford / Mercury owners who share information on dealing with the cracked trim panel that Ford would not.
Here's another fault with the 2004 Ford Explorer. I bought my vehicle used and I didn't have a warranty. It wasn't more than 3 months, and sure enough, the rear panel cracked. I was furious! Then I started to notice many of the Ford Explorer around town had the same problem. Even the Mercury Mountaineers and Lincoln Aviators looked the same. Something should be done about this. I took my vehicle up to the Ford Dealership to complain and of course it got me NOWHERE.
This problem should definitely be fixed by Ford. It appears to be a safety hazard as the crack is growing and window may just fall out onto the street.
I TOO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM EVERYONE HAS HERE...CRACK ON THE REAR PANEL TAIL GATE..THE CRACK IS NOT OUR FAULT!! IT APPEARED BY ITSELF..I WENT TO THE DEALER TODAY IN HOPES THAT IT CAN BE FIX UNDER SOME TYPE OF WARRANTY..BEING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE MANGER STATES THAT THE REASON WHY IT'S CRACKED IS THE WAY IT WAS INSTALLED OR MANUFACTURED..IF THAT IS THE CASE..THE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE. I ALSO CALLED FORD TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO..NOTHING..ONLY DOCUMENT THE MY COMPLAINT, THE REP TOLD ME THAT IF THERE'S A PATTERN OF COMPLAINT CALLS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEN FORD WILL INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS AND IN HOPES TO HAVE THIS RECALLED. THE REP ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF THERE'S ALOT OF COMPLAINTS MADE TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY ABOUT THIS, THEY TOO WILL CONTACT FORD AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY COMPLAINTS..MY FELLOW EXPLORER OWNERS..PLEASE CONTACT FORD AND HAVE YOUR COMPLAINT DOCUMENTED SO WE CAN GET THIS REPAIR AT NO COST!! ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY TOO!!! OUR COMPLAINTS HAS TO BE IN LARGE NUMBERS!! FOR THOSE WHO HAS THIS REPAIRED...PLEASE KEEP YOUR RECEIPT IN HOPES THAT IF THIS WILL BE RECALLED..U MAY BE REIMBURSED!!!
After reading all of the complaints listed here as well as seeing many Explorers on the road with the same problem, I think that this is a real "Shame on you, Ford" situation. With the amount of money that I (and everyone else in the US) spend on a vehicle, you would think that a company as huge as Ford would stand behind there products! The sticker price on my Explorer was $32,575.00 when it was brand new and after people spend that kind of money on the car, you would think that Ford would buck up and fix the problem!!! I have owned many Fords in my lifetime and I love my Explorer, but I have to admit that this will probably be the last Ford product I will ever spend my good hard earned money for!!!! Unfortunately, this is not the only problem with my Explorer. I guess I will have to enter the larger complaint in another entry!! To all others who have posted your complaints here, I hope that you will put out a big shout to all of your friends, family, co-workers and even your worst enemies..... Watch out for Ford!!!!!
- Debbie K.,
St. Charles, MO, US
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I, like everyone, have the lovely crack in plastic panel under rear window. This problem should definitely be taken care of by Ford! I just today submitted this information to a local attorney to start a class action lawsuit against Ford and hope they will accept to take it. If you would like to participate in this please go to http://www.mhcilaw.com/CM/Custom/Contact.asp and let them know your problem as well. I am sure the more people who contact them, they will definitely get something going. Hope this helps all who have once again been screwed by FORD!!!!!!!!
I already called the Ford Company about this crack in the back door by the Ford emblem.They told me that they have not received too many complaints about this problem. At the beginning was surprised as I thought someone did it, but I have seen so many trucks like mine with the exact same problem. This is a manufacturing problem that the FORD COMPANY should take care of. I met 2 people that have the same problem. People, please keep calling them to see if they can do something about it.
The panel under the rear window is cracked. I was surprised to see so many of these problems dating back to 2002 and Ford apparently has not fixed it. I found a seller on ebay that supplies a replacement panel and a You Tube video on replacing it.
Has anyone gotten Ford to step up to this problem ?
We weren't sure what caused the problem at first. Then we started noticing other 2004 Ford Explorers with the same problem on the road which clearly suggests that this is a Ford defect and should be a recall issue. It is very inconvenient as I am afraid to even open the back hatch as it might break the seal around the window and make the problem worse.
One day, just noticed it had a crack at the Ford emblem. I thought someone had bumped into it and cracked it. Later, I noticed other Explorers with the same problem. Then another crack appeared in another portion of the panel. I figured there was nothing Ford would do, and sure enough, looking at all these complaints they still do nothing.
Ford gave us the run around--recalls are only for safety reasons! Bumper to Bumper warranty are only for the THREE Year you pay for, if a flaw in the design shows up later you're out of luck.. THINK TWICE ABOUT BUYING A FORD
Like everyone else.. I walk out one day to open the back and there is a crack all the way through right around the emblem. I started noticing other Explorers with the SAME thing. Why won't Ford recall this.. It's obviously a huge problem!!
Like many others, the crack around the Ford emblem just appeared. We were very upset when we saw the crack, but even more upset when we heard how many people were complaining about the same thing. We did have the crack fixed, because we want to try to keep the vehicle in good condition. We paid $375 just to have the piece replaced. We hadn't heard about the problem before it happened to us. A couple weeks after we noticed the crack in ours, we saw another Explorer with the whole strip missing. This is something that Ford should take care of.
found the crack around x-mas time, thought someone had tried to brake into the car. found out recently it is a defect and not my fault. the car is already past warranty so have no recourse with that. since is a defect the ford company should pay to get this fixed, it is unsightly.
It's been several months since I walked outside one day to find out that the panel below my rear window had CRACKED all the way down and around the FORD emblem! I couldn't believe it. Nothing had hit it and I take really good care of my vehicle. I bought it brand new with only 8 miles on it just days after it was manufactured. I never called Ford about it because I figured they would tell me I must have done something to cause it to crack. About 3 weeks ago I went on a trip and someone passed me and I noticed theirs looked the EXACT same way....wow, maybe I'm not the only one....a few days later, I see ANOTHER one.....a few more days, I see another one in a parking lot and decided to talk to the owner. He told me that he contacted FORD and they wouldn't do anything about it. His cousin and his neighbor also had the same problem with theirs. Tonight I went to the store and when I came out there was yet ANOTHER ONE, just like mine only he didn't have "THE CRACK" . It looked like he just ripped the entire panel off and said the heck with it. I came to the conclusion that it wasn't my fault or something that I did to it, it's just faulty material or workmanship. I sat down at my computer tonight just to see if I could find anything online that might resemble my problem and MAN was I blown away!!!! I can't believe how many people this has happened to and all along I thought it was just me. I appreciate the person that mentioned the www.nhtsa.gov site. I didn't know about it, but I'm going to print it out and tape it above the CRACK with a note to other "Victims" to go to these sites if their rear panel looks like mine. I will contact FORD to make sure my name is added to their list of recipients of faulty materials. I don't remember seeing anything in their brochure about "Caution, this $25,000.00 vehicle will crack if used outdoors!" They didn't advertise that part, did they?
So, yeah, I noticed this one day when loading groceries into the back. One of the first of many defects with this vehicle that I am STILL making payments on. Spoke to a dealer and he gave me the "it's a common problem" speech and said no recall had yet been issued (I'm not holding my breath). Around $300-400 o fix... and the Ford customer service center just keeps giving me the same BS lines. "Have it evaluated by a Ford technician" etc. etc. etc. Class Action suit!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Here's another fault with the 2004 Ford Explorer. I bought my vehicle used and I didn't have a warranty. It wasn't more than 3 months, and sure enough, the rear panel cracked. I was furious! Then I started to notice many of the Ford Explorer around town had the same problem. Even the Mercury Mountaineers and Lincoln Aviators looked the same. Something should be done about this. I took my vehicle up to the Ford Dealership to complain and of course it got me NOWHERE.
Once again, THANKS FORD!!!
- Molly A., Brunswick, GA, US